up to the mountain

A year later, I’m still thinking about the drum major instinct.

repost from last year:

This morning I took a look through my photobiography book of Dr. King, and just listened to “The Drum Major Instinct.” Take a listen if you can, it’s only 20 minutes long.  He looks at Mark 10 where James and John ask Jesus if they have can have the prized spots in the kingdom.

Dr. King’s an amazing preacher – so it’s very good and of course the end is stunning:

Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life’s final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don’t think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself, “What is it that I would want said?” And I leave the word to you this morning.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.

I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.

I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question.

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.

And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked.

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison.

I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice.  Say that I was a drum major for peace.  I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.  I won’t have any money to leave behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that’s all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,

If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,

If I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong,

Then my living will not be in vain.

If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,

If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,

If I can spread the message as the master taught,

Then my living will not be in vain.

Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.

Amen, Dr. King.

now listening: Up to the Mountain (MLK song) – Patty Griffin

of bike gangs and spin class

With cooler temperatures and better health this past fall, I’ve been able to ride my bike a lot more.  My new(ish) location makes a commute to church or work much more doable (at my old house, it was 7 miles each way to the office, now it’s more like 3.5 each way).  But what has really made it possible is bike gang friends.  There are friends at my church that are commuting by bike for lots of different reasons – convictions about cars, trying to live simply, it’s fun, it’s cool, it’s exercise, etc.

After several invitations over the summer, I was finally able to go ride with a ‘bike gang’, and we rode 13+ miles! (my longest ride ever, at that time).  A rambling jaunt of 2 hours, with some stops for coffee, an attempt to dumpster-dive some bagels, and a stop at a friend’s house where we gathered one more person.   I hadn’t ridden with people before, and felt like I was suddenly in the tour de france – one shaky turn and I could bring down the whole pack!  But it was great fun – getting to talk with my friends while riding, speeding up, slowing down, talking with different people at different times.

When the weather was really bad and I couldn’t bike commute, I went to a couple spin classes.  If you’ve been to one, you know – they are SO INTENSE.  There’s a lot of cycling that happens, they don’t have odometers, but I’m sure we go far.  We sweat a LOT, more than I ever have on a bike gang ride.  And the instructor is yelling encouragement.  We ride fast, we listen to thumping music, and yes, we probably burn a ton of calories.

But I’ve been thinking – what really taught me to love biking is the bike gang rides, not the spin class.  Sure, in a spin class we work out and burn more immediate calories.  But for the long-term, learning to figure out what roads are good to ride, learning the practicals of locking my bike, etc, those make me a cyclist for life.  Getting to learn from others, enjoy time together, and have fun… that’s really what puts me on the journey for the long haul.

In a spin class, even with friends, there’s no talking – there’s no spare air!   The spin instructor isn’t going to go out to show you practicals – he/she is just yelling instructions and giving a good workout for that time period.  Being in community is what shows me the joy in it, gives practicals, and encourages me to ride on my own even more.

This has parallels with the ways I think about ministry and community.   The most amazing speaker in the world can tell you things, and it may feel phenomenal in the moment, but we need community for the long run.  That’s not to say there’s not a place for spin classes or good speakers – but we can’t rely on that to be the only thing to keep us going.  One of the many reasons I love my job is that I get to foster and encourage Christian community amongst college students – to set them up well for the long run.  Here’s to more “bike gangs.”

11 and 12

I know you’ve all been waiting nervously (not), so  I best finish this up because it’s almost Christmas!   11 – my team of supporters, and 12 - The West Wing.

11.  All InterVarsity staff raise support – sometimes it’s hard, or stressful, or just plain scary.  It messes with my desire for control, reveals my real beliefs and feelings about money, value, and my own sense of pride.

It’s also an amazing thing.  Because when I say support, I don’t just mean financial.  Many on my team of supporers do support my ministry financially through their giving.  And that is really important and needed.  But just as needed, if not more needed – are the prayers of the people.

Tonight I got to see a bunch of folks at my Richmond church who are on my team.  One of them mentioned that he prays for me every day, and talked about how he got his call to the mission field at Urbana ‘57.  There are a bunch of supporters who have told me they pray for me every day or every week – I am so blessed and humbled.

It’s humbling at times to be honest with how I’m doing.  No one likes showing weakness, and especially to people who are giving.  But I trust that I need the prayers more, and that God will provide.  And He has.  Raising support has been a huge journey of trusting God, and relying on Him and others.  Sometimes it feels like the manna in the desert – I can’t store it up, but there’s always enough.  I’m thankful.

12.  I didn’t get into The West Wing that much when it was on-air.  I remember watching a few episodes with the Hankes, but in those years before internet viewing, I always had small group or was working on the nights it was on.  But Tiffanie got into it, and when she was sick, it became an important part of hanging out with her after chemo.  And I was hooked…

I love the ensemble cast, the amazing dialogue, and the things I can learn about just from watching a tv show.  I bought the complete series off of ebay in June, and have been working my way through it.  I’m in season 6 now, and find myself going slower because I know when I get to the end it’ll be over.  I’ve written more about it previously, particularly the way the team is a missional community.

And now, a review of the 12 days of thanksgiving…

1. family

2. friends

3. health

4. my house

5. bikes

6. sunsets

7. skype

8. mosaic (my church)

9. hk trips and family

10. central texas staff team

11. team of supporters

12. the west wing

The last month or so has been really hard, but there’s still a lot to be thankful for and so I’m practicing thankfulness and the discipline of waiting in Advent.  Thanks for listening in.

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

now playing:  Balmorhea – Truth

day 10 – central texas staff team

A year ago I was spending my first few days in Hong Kong with extended family.  It was wonderful, and I miss them.  I had forgotten though that since I was on sabbatical, I missed our regional staff team’s Christmas party.  So, it was great this year to be able to celebrate with them.

I love this team – getting to minister alongside and partner with them has been such an amazing gift.  There’s something about working things out in ministry together that is beautiful, difficult, and bonding – all at the same time.

The first few years I loved being a part of this team, and now in my sixth (!) year of leading the team – I’m still very thankful.  :)  The team has changed a lot – and it’s been wonderful to see where God’s taken people, as well as who’s been added!

cen tex team 2002

cen tex team 2005

cen tex team 2009

Thanks be to God.

now playing: Balmorhea – Harm & Boon

interlude

I still have 3 more days of thanksgiving left, and they are really good ones.  And I missed a day already, but it’s because I’ve been working hard on a 12 page paper for my Early Church History class.  It’s mostly been a really hard process, what with lots of work and personal things going on.  Also, I never wrote papers in undergrad, being an engineer and all – it’s not very easy for me!

But just now, I was reading more stuff about early church baptism, and I had a bit of excitement and joy at studying.  It really is a privilege to learn.  The thought that came to mind was the Eric Lidell quote, ‘When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.’  And I can’t say that all the time about studying or writing, but let the record show, that I think I did just now.  :)   Either that, or it’s a sugar high from the chocolate chip cookies that a friend just brought by.

I hope I still feel similarly tomorrow when I’m in the home stretch of the paper, and later this week studying for the final!

Back to work.

now playing: The Shanghai Restoration Project – Preface